First Kiss
by 55yunalovstidus5545
Summary: It was a normal day. Gibbs was still drinking coffee, Abby was still drinking caf-pow, and McGee was still hitting away on his keyboard. So why, on this normal day, did everything change for two people? TIVA! Chapter 4 is up!
1. First Kiss

First Kiss

It was a normal day. The sun was out, the birds were chirping, and people were chattering. Gibbs was still drinking coffee, Abby was still drinking caf-pow, and McGee was still hitting away on his keyboard.

So why, on this normal day, did everything change for two people.

The team was anxious. They all wanted to meet the new member of the team, but for some reason, one of them was missing. Ziva. They had searched everywhere: the autopsy room, the interrogation room, Abby's lab, the Director's office. Nowhere to be found.

Both Gibbs and McGee looked up at the ding of the elevator and watched as the doors glided open, both of them wanting to be the first one to catch a glimpse of the new Probee. But instead, Ziva rushed out, and half ran/half walked to her desk. She looked as if she had seen a ghost; her dark, deep brown eyes opened wide, a shocked, almost frantic look plastered on her tan face. Her dark, curly brown hair (Abby liked to call it "Wild Mane") seemed like she had just gotten out of bed, looked at the time, and rushed out without combing it.

Ziva scrambled behind her desk and slid into her seat, hoping no one had noticed her absence. "Where've you been, Ziva?"

She winced, knowing it was foolish to think that way especially with a boss like Gibbs. "I still have not figured out how to work my alarm clock yet, Gibbs." She could feel him staring at her, but she would not meet his eyes, knowing what she would see.

Gibbs didn't get the chance to answer because just then, the ding of the elevator went off.

They all shifted their gaze toward the elevator, waiting to the face of the new Probee, cause it was definitely wasn't going to be Ziva. A young man walked out and turned toward their bullpen, as if he knew exactly where he was going.

As the man came closer, Ziva noticed that his hair wasn't just light brown, as she had assumed. It was a variety of colors, including gold, blonde, even a little chestnut here and there. He lifted his head and his dark green eyes met her brown ones. She felt her breath come short, as if she just witnessed a startling scene. The man walked into the bullpen without ever taking his gaze away from hers, only looking away when Gibbs came to stand in front of him.

Ziva forced her eyes to look away from him, trying to get her breathing under control. When her heart stopped beating against her ribs, she got up and moved to stand behind Gibbs with McGee.

She willed, no forced herself to look at the man's shirt, not meeting his eyes.

"Anthony, Tony, Dinozzo, sir," the man answered to some unheard question. Ziva glanced up in time to see Gibbs smack Tony in the back of the head. She smiled, knowing Gibbs hated being called sir. She, too, had made the mistake of calling him that when she first joined NCIS. "You will get used to that."

Tony looked at her again and smiled. Whoa, she thought, good-looking hair, phenomenal eyes, handsome face, it just wouldn't be a complete package without the drop-dead-gorgeous smile.

Tony's gaze shifted to McGee, who had stepped forward to offer his hand after Gibbs had gone back to his desk and sat down. Tony accepted it and shook the other man's hand. "Tim McGee," McGee replied, "welcome to the team, Tony."

He let go of Tony's hand and turned to go sit down. Tony and Ziva were the only ones left standing. He put out his hand and after a few seconds, she accepted.

As soon as their hands touched, a wave of piercing sweetness hit her. It felt as if someone had flipped a switch and the world around them seemed to shrink and disappear around them.

A spark had been lit, and it traveled all throughout her body, bringing a heat wave that swamped her. She looked up into his eyes and knew he felt the same thing. Right then, something passed between them- a connection. As if, something deeper than words was being communicated.

I know you. I see what you see…

Without knowing it, Ziva raised her hand, her fingers spread out, as if they were seeking something. Just as Tony was raising his hand to intertwine their fingers, a jolt a pure panic hit her, as if she had just been drenched with freezing water. What was she doing! She let her hand drop and commanded her other hand to let go of the one that was holding his.

She hated the hurt look on his face, but he would never understand. They couldn't be together.

She was a vampire, a Night Walker, a Blood Sucker. Her world would never allow it. Besides, there were rules, rules that, if they were broken, the penalty would be death. She wasn't going to be the reason he would die.

She turned to walk past Tony, but he stepped in her path, blocking the way. She frowned, then tried again, this time going the other way. He still blocked her way. Sighing, she looked off to the side. "What?"

"At least tell me your name."

She looked at him, startled at what he'd asked. Those weren't the words she thought she was going to hear. She faked him out, going one way, then quickly turning the other way. He couldn't block her. She started to walk towards the elevator. "It's Ziva," she called over her shoulder.

"You don't have a last name?"

She sighed and pushed the button for the elevator. Of course he would follow her. "He is probably the persistent kind," Ziva muttered under her breath.

"What?"

"David. My last name is David." The elevator dinged and the doors slid open. Ziva stepped inside and pressed the button for Abby's lab. Tony followed her and after the doors closed, he flipped the emergency stop switch.

She wouldn't look at him. She used all her strength to keep her head looking at the door, her torso facing him. Tony reached out his hand and touched his cheek, turning her face toward him but she still didn't look at him.

At his touch, Ziva could feel her teeth out, poking into her lip. "You won't even look at me," he said.

She turned her face up to his. His green eyes widened, then turned soft, as if he felt her pain. Ya, right.

The hand at her cheek skimmed down until it got to her chin. He softly pulled down her chin, opening her mouth and revealing her fangs. His expression didn't change as he stared at them, then reached out to touch them.

Halfway, his hand changed its course and skimmed cheek, letting his hand stay there. She leaned into it, then turned her head away and walked to the other side of the elevator.

Her back to him, she said, "Do you know what I am? Do you know what I could do to you?"

Ziva didn't hear him come up behind her. Tony rested his hands on her shoulders, knowing that he had to answer. "You're a vampire."

It wasn't a question. "And you are okay with that?" she whispered so he wouldn't hear her voice crack.

The hands on her shoulder turned around, lightly pressing her up against the wall until she felt his body pressing against hers.

Tony let go of one of her shoulders so he could thumb her cheek. She shivered as the spark went all throughout her body, bringing the same piercing sweetness with it.

"Yes, I am. I am because I know I feel something for you and I know it's real. Do you feel it or is it just me?"

Her eyes found his and saw that his eyes were shinning with… she didn't know what.

Not trusting herself to speak, she nodded. Tony looked at her, searching her eyes for something till he found it.

She watched him lean toward her until his soft lips touched hers. It was a couple of seconds before she kissed him back. She pressed her body closer to his and slipper her arm around his shoulder, while her other hand slipped into his hair. She could feel Tony lift her up higher until she was sitting on the railing, both of them now at the same height level. She felt his tongue touch her bottom lip. She opened her mouth and their tongues tangled, both of them dueling the other.

When he needed air, Tony pulled away and rested his forehead against hers, taking deep, raged breaths,

"I know… I feel… something for… you… Will you give me a chance… to figure it out?"

Ziva nodded, a smile on her face as she pulled his lips back to hers.

*** okay I want to know if you guys think I should I continue this. Read and review please!!!!!


	2. First Thought

First Thought

"Have you always been a vampire?"

After their first kiss in the elevator, Tony had suggested that the come to his apartment to watch a movie. They now sat on the tan couch in his small living room. Well, actually, Ziva was sitting on his lap and a blanket was wrapped around both of them. Her back was to him so he couldn't see her expression to the question he had just asked.

Tony wanted to see if the question had upset her, so he out his arm under her knees and the other one behind her back and turned her so that he could see at least half of her expression. Her eyes had a curious look in them as she settled herself against his chest, letting her head rest against his shoulder. "Yes, I have always been a vampire. My parents taught how to be one since I didn't have a sire."

At the word 'parents', Ziva felt her expression harden. Tony put his hand on the side of Ziva's face that he couldn't see and turned it towards him. She let him do this but she would not look at him. When she finally met his gaze, he whispered, "Will you tell me about them?"

She looked away and buried her face into his neck, knowing that if she let her vampire side take over, it would be a disaster. Ziva shook her head.

Tony sighed and pulled her closer, his lips against her hair. Ziva felt something sweet pump through her dried out veins.

She would have to tell him about the dangers that lived in her world so why not now. "There is one thing I have not told you," she mumbled against his skin. "I live in a world called the Night World. In my world, there are two rules that are and are not meant to be broken.

"1) Do not tell humans about the Night World. 2) Do not fall in love with a human. I have broken both."

Ziva felt him smile against her hair and he kissed the top of her head. "Tell me about the Night World. What's so different between your world and mine?"

"In my world, your nightmares can not only come to life in your dreams. They are able to come alive in the reality we live in. You probably think that vampires are now the only danger to you world. But you are wrong. There are such things as werewolves, were-people, and witches. Some people know they exist and they live out their lives in fear, wondering if one of our people will come to destroy one more person who knows too much."

Tony started to pull away and she wanted to smack herself for saying to much. But he wasn't pulling away in fear. He just wanted to see her face. "Does anyone else know what you are at NCIS?"

"Yes, they all know that Abby and I are vampires."

"Wait, Abby's a vampire too?! Cool."

Tony settled back against the couch again, apparently relaxed, which meant that Ziva's face was buried into his neck. She froze, trying to contain herself. But she couldn't help herself.

Ziva pressed a kiss to his throat, right on his pulse, and stayed there. Tony swallowed loudly. "You okay there, Ziva?"

"Could not be better…" she mumbled against his skin, rubbing her lips up and down his throat. He groaned. She smiled and kept doing what she was doing until she felt his hand tugging lightly at her hair.

She chuckled and skimmed her lips back up his neck, ignoring his persistent tugging at her hair. Her lips reached his jaw and she pressed kisses along it until she got to his chin. She left her lips there until Ziva felt the tugging subside. When they did, she let her lips skim up and cover his.

Tony let his hands slid down to her hips, holding her against him as he shifted sideways to stretch out on the couch, keeping their lips in contact. He felt Ziva's tongue skim over her bottom lip, and he opened his mouth, groaning when their lips met in the middle.

After awhile, Tony pulled away and let his head fall back on the couch, trying to catch his breath. Ziva smiled as she rested her head against his chest, amusement and lust clouding her eyes.

She shifted on top of hi, so her body was covering his, making it easier for him to wrap her arms around her, holding her to him. She sighed in content and buried her face into his shoulder, wanting to lay there with him forever.

"Tony?"

"Hmmm…"

"I am tired." She felt him start to get up and Ziva used all her weight to keep down.

He groaned in defeat as he relaxed back against the coach. He chuckled. "I thought you said you were tired, Ziva?"

She smiled into his shoulder. "I am but I am content right here…"

Tony grinned and pulled her closer, putting his lips against her hair. After awhile, he felt Ziva relax against him and heard her breathing slowed.

Tony stayed awake, looking up at the ceiling. The movies sound effects slowly faded into the background as the light from the TV lit up the room.

He couldn't help himself; his mind just immediately started to think about the only other woman he had ever loved, before Ziva, of course. Jeanne.

At that time, if someone had come up and asked him if he loved her, he would have said yes without any hesitation. But now, once he thought about it, he realized it never was love that had brought them together.

It was the feeling that someone was there for them, someone actually cared for them. For him and Ziva, it was different. They were both in love with the other, even if Ziva didn't realize that he loved her. He felt his eyes beginning to droop. The last thought he had was about how much he loved her.

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Tony's eyes snapped open and he glanced around the room, searching for danger. He didn't remember getting up to turn the TV off. Even thought it was off, light still filtered into the room. He closed his eyes, trying to ignore it and went to wrap his arms around Ziva. She wasn't there.

His eyes snapped open once more and they glanced towards the kitchen, where the light was coming from. He swung his legs off the couch, maneuvering himself into a sitting position. Tony put his hands on the couch and pushed himself up, then started to walk into the kitchen.

Ziva was there, her back to him, trying to figure out how to use his coffee pot. By the looks of it, she was having difficulty.

He smiled and silently walked over to her. He felt her jump when he slid his arms around her waist. She relaxed against him, tucking her head under his chin. He chuckled in her ear, then whispered, "I've finally been able to sneak up on you, ninja girl. I'm surprised."

She laughed softly. "You should be proud. But I bet if you tried to do it again, I would hear you."

He didn't answer, instead nibbling on her ear. She smiled and turned to face him, making him let go of her ear and his lips skimmed her cheek. He pulled back to see her face and they both froze when their gazes met.

He smiled softly, letting his hands glide down to hold her hips, lifting her up to sit on the counter. He stood between her legs, hands on her thighs.

He searched her eyes before asking, "What's wrong? What are you thinking about?"

She looked off to the side. "I am wondering what would happen if my vampire side took over. I am wondering if I would be able to control myself, if I would be able to stop myself from hurting you. I do not think I could live with myself if I ever hurt you. I do not thin-"

Her words were cut off as Tony's lip descended onto hers. Ziva's eyes widened in shock, then they fluttered shut. She groaned deep in her throat as she wrapped her arms around his neck, while he pulled her closer to him, making her scoot to the very edge of the counter.

She wrapped her legs around his waist as he started to carry her back to the living room, keeping their lips in contact. When he finally felt the couch against his leg, he laid down on his back, making her untangle her legs from his hips.

Tony took his lips from hers and let them rest against her hair, hers against his cheek.

Ziva skimmed her lips from his cheek to his ear and nibbled gently. "Do you know the first thought that popped into my mind, when you walked out of the elevator?" Her hair rustled a little as he shook his head.

"My first thought was that… you were the one. I knew that you were the one I have waited for… for over two centuries."

"What about your second thought?"

She chuckled. "You had awesome hair."


	3. Second Chance

Second Chance

Ziva's eyes fluttered open. Or she thought they were open, for all she could see was darkness. Memories of the night before caught up with her and she smiled into Tony's shoulder.

His arms were still around her and he was snoring softly. She tried to shift her weight slightly on top of him, trying not to wake him. But as soon as she started to move, his snoring stopped abruptly.

She pushed herself up a little, wanting to see the look on his when he woke up. She watched as his eyes fluttered open, gasping a little at what she saw.

Lust clouded his eyes, turning them a startling emerald. Tony growled softly, before putting a hand behind her head and pulled her face down to his. She closed her eyes in sweet anticipation of their lips coming in contact. They never did.

Tony had stopped applying force to the back of her head so he could ask her something. "Do you know how much I want you?"

He watched as her eyes snapped open, lust consuming every corner and curve. She met his eyes and one side of her mouth tilted upwards. "I can only guess." Something dawned in her eyes. "But not now. I want to show you something."

He frowned. She actually sounded serious. "Why not? What are you going to show me?"

She got off of him, pulling him up with her, her smile still in place. "I want to show you how to slow dance, just so you know for the future."

He exhaled, his breath coming out in a huff. He wasn't going to tell her that he already knew how to. His mom had made him take a class for it, so he would know how to do at his own wedding.

Ziva walked over to the TV and looked at his CD collection, seeing what one would be good for slow dancing. He walked over and stood behind her. He snaked his arms around her waist, pulling her closer to him, while the other one reached to press the play on the CD player.

Immediately, the slow music started, surprising her. She turned in his arms to face him, her brows raised in a question. He shrugged. "My mom made me take a class when I was a kid. So, I practice it every once in a while. They say it doesn't hurt."

She smirked and reached up to wrap her arms around his neck, while his went around her waist. They danced in time with the music, both of them thinking the same thing without knowing it. Her head rested against his shoulder, his lips against her hair. Everything was perfect, but it was shattered when Tony's phone rang. They untangled themselves from each others arms and Tony reached into his pocket for his phone.

He looked at the caller, then glanced at her. He mouthed, "Gibbs," then answered it. "DiNozzo."

"DiNozzo, we need you and Ziva, so get your butts down here now." Tony opened his mouth to speak but Gibbs had already hung up. Tony looked form her to his phone, then back at her. "How did he know you wer-"

He had stopped talking when she put her hand over his mouth. He glanced at her, a confused look on his face. "Gibbs knows everything. It is weird but that is the only way to explain it."

He groaned as she took his hand, all but dragging him out the door.

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Four hours later, Tony unlocked the door to his apartment and stepped inside. After Gibbs called, Ziva had dragged him to NCIS. They both had expected a case to be waiting for them, but instead, they had found… paperwork. After hours and hours of sitting at their desks staring at paperwork, Gibbs had finally taken pity on them and sent them home.

However, instead of Ziva coming over to his apartment, she had gone to hers instead, telling him that she had things to do, people to see, places to go. The usual.

He sighed, disappointed. He had wanted to make her dinner, with candles and champagne. Even dessert. Hell, he was even going to make her his family's recipe for-.

The doorbell rang, cutting off his thought. He frowned. He hadn't ordered anything and wasn't expecting anyone. Tony walked over and opened the door.

Ziva stood there, a smile on her face, yet Tony knew something was wrong. He held out his arms and her smile disappeared. She walked into them, wrapping her arms around him, and buried her head into his shoulder.

They stood there for awhile, just holding each other, before he picked her up and carried her into his room. He sat on the bed, cross-legged with her in his lap, her arms now around his waist. He ran his hand through her hair, the other arm hugging her, molding her to him.

Ziva remembered going to her apartment after work. She had went to unlock the door, but it was already open. She had cautiously pushed the door open, her jaws dropping out of site.

Her apartment was trashed, everything thrown everywhere, as if someone had been looking for something. Which they probably had. All her things were knocked over, except her metal bookcase.

She had walked, maneuvered, and jumped over her stuff, making sure if anything was damaged. The only thing that was was her picture of Ari and her. It had a circle of small cracks around her in the picture, as if someone had punched it or hit it with a hammer. After cracking it, the person had slammed it down on the metal nightstand.

"What's wrong, Ziva?"

She jumped, her arms tightening their hold around Tony's neck, pulling her closer to him. She felt him start to rub her back, trying to ease the tension out of her. "Someone trashed my apartment…" she murmured into his sweatshirt that he had put on at NCIS.

The hands on her back froze, then continued what they were doing. "Do you know anyone who would want to do that to you?" he asked in a tight, angry voice.

She pulled away and looked at him. **He looks so cute when he's angry**, she thought, letting her hand reach up to touch his cheek. She smiled, trying to reassure him. "I do not know anyone who would want to do that to me. Well, I do not know anyone who is alive who would want to do that."

His expression softened as she spoke and he smiled back at her. His hand covered hers, holding it against his face. He turned his head slightly and kissed her palm.

His eyes met hers once again as he kissed his way down her wrist, sending sparks of electricity up her spine. The hand at her back slid up till it got to the back of her head and he pulled her face towards his as he took his lips from her wrist.

Their lips were an inch apart when the phone rang. They both groaned.

But unlike that morning, it was Ziva's cell phone that rang. Assuming it was Gibbs, she didn't bother to look at the caller ID and answered it. "Special Agent Ziva David."

"Hello, daughter."

She froze in Tony's arms, immediately recognizing the voice, hatred, fury, and adrenaline pumping through her. The man who had taught her to hide her feelings. The man who was the only blood-related family she had. The man who couldn't have cared less about her. The man whom she hated.

Her father.

Tony, sensing something was wrong, took her hand and squeezed, trying to give her reassurance. She turned her head and gave him a small smile, but it didn't meet her eyes. "Hello, father. What do you want?" she replied in an angry voice.

"I wanted to talk to you abou-"

Ziva cut him off. "I am not going back to Tel Aviu, father. My home and family," she said, squeezing Tony's hand, "are here, at NCIS, in America. I will never go back home."

It was quiet on the other line for a few seconds. "There is a guy, isn't there?"

Tony watched her talk into her phone and chuckled softly when she blushed at something the person said or asked. She turned and glared at him.

"So what if there is. That is not of your concern, father."

"You are wrong, daughter, for it is my business-"

"No, you are the one who is wrong, father," she hissed, cutting him off once more. "It is none of your business. The choices that I make in this life or the next are my choices, and my choices alone, and you do not need to know of them. I let go of my beliefs, my old family, everything I once cared for, a long time ago. Now, my family is here. Everything I care about is here. So you have no right to take a personal interest in my life."

There was silence on the other end when she finished. She would have been proud of herself if she had made him hang up, but she knew he hadn't. Her father always had the last laugh or saying.

"You didn't kill your brother," he stated, then hung up.

She sat frozen in Tony's lap, a shocked expression on her face, the phone still at her ear. She squeezed her eyes shut, determined not to let the angry tears fall. She slammed the phone shut and hurled into the other room, hearing the soft thump it made as it hit the floor.

Tony watched all of this, angry that whatever her father had said had made her so upset. He hugged her closer, combing her hair with his fingers. "I'm here."

That did it. Ziva felt her tears start to fall and she turned and buried her against his chest. He held her as she sobbed, rocking her back and forth, running his fingers through her hair. He waited patiently, knowing how it felt to want to get it all out.

Ziva tried to control herself, to stop crying over nothing. But she couldn't. At first, she expected Tony to push her away in disgust, but he only pulled her closer, holding her while she cried.

When she'd finally let it all out, she pulled back and gave him a hesitant smile. "Sorry about your shirt. It is soaked."

He laughed, glancing down at it. "It's all right. I don't mind." He looked back up at her, a frown on his lips. "Why do you hate your father so much?"

She immediately felt her expression harden. "Back at home, where I used to live, I was always trying to impress my father, make him proud. I did so many things, and almost all of them turned out phenomenal. Everyone congratulated me, but the one person who I wanted to hear from, never said a word. I had spent half my life trying to make someone else proud, trying to get them to show that they actually cared about me.

"But one day, I realized that… my father had never loved me, mo matter what he said. He saw me as a tool and that was all. Never a daughter. Now, whenever I look back, I can not believe it had taken me so long to figure that out. But, even now, I sometimes find myself thinking, 'I wonder, if I told my father, would he finally be proud of me.' But…

"I can not write my life away for something I do not believe in anymore," Ziva whispered, "Back then, the only person who actually cared about me was my brother, Ari. We did everything together, good old 'Partners in Crime.' But as time went by, our lives began to change. He became a villain. I became a special agent.

"We had a run in with him awhile ago. He killed Special Agent Kate Todd, the agent before you. Gibbs and I caught him and Gibbs stood by while I shot him. Thinking he was injured pretty bad, we left him there to die. When we got back to the bullpen, we told everyone that Gibbs had shot and killed him. Or so we assumed."

Tony nodded, taking it all in. "So what now?"

"Now, I will get a second chance to kill him, for good."


	4. Second Mistake

Second Mistake

Tony chuckled at her determined expression. He tousled Ziva's hair. "I'm sure you will. And this time, I'll be there with you."

Her eyes softened. "Really?"

"Of course."

She searched his eyes before hurling herself at him, pushing them both backwards to land on the bed. She put her hands on either side of his shoulders, pushing herself off of him a little. Their gazes locked as they both realized the intimate position she had put them in, and she hesitated.

He chuckled at that, encircling her waist with his arms. The next thing she knew, they were laying sideways, both of them able to look at the other without one of them having to go up on their elbows to look at the other's face.

They gazed at each for a while, content in the silence that had settled around them. They could tell what the other was thinking in that way that only they could do. Ziva remembered the first time she had touched his hand, on that first day. Their eyes met and it had felt like they could see into the others soul.

She felt her lips form a smile at the memory, remembering and reliving the feeling that had swamped her. She could feel Tony's eyes on her, as if he had laser pointers and she could feel the heat on her skin where they gazed.

Tony watched her, wondering why she had smiled all of a sudden. He reached out his hand and traced her bottom lip with his finger. He felt her shiver and he grinned. His eyes flicked up to hers and, seeing that they were closed, took his finger away.

She groaned softly, the warmth that had filled her gone. A second later, it filled her again as she felt his lips press softly against hers. She smiled against them, and wrapped her arms around his neck, fitting her body more tightly against his. His strong arms wrapped around her, pulling her closer, as if he wanted her to crawl into his skin. It felt like she already was.

She let her tongue slip past her lips and touch his bottom one. He opened his mouth and their tongues met, dueling each other. Keeping their lips in contact, Ziva untangled her arms from around his neck and let them skim down to his sweatshirt. She started to pull it up, wanting to get off him. Their lips broke contact when he pulled the shirt over his head, but as soon as it was clear, their lips met again, making it seem as if they had never lost contact.

Unfortunately, Tony had another shirt that was under sweatshirt, but this was a button-up shirt. She went to work on the buttons. She was on the third button when she became impatient. She tore through his shirt with her hand, making the buttons pop off and scatter everywhere. She took her mouth from his, wanting to look at him.

The light from the f the lamp next to his bed shone on his smooth skin, making it seem like a mirror. She knew that he was fit, but she didn't think he was _that_ fit. The soft, almost marble contours of his chest traveled up and down his chest, only stopping at his stomach, a six-pack in its place. She felt herself start to tremble as she stared at them.

Her hand reached out on its own accord, stroking him from the waist up. She smiled when she felt him start to tremble under her fingertips. Her arms slid around his neck, one hand slipping into his hair to pull his face to hers, the other cupping his cheek.

They stayed like that, both of them slanting their heads this way and that to get more out of the kiss. Ziva was the first to pull away, panting hard as she laid her head on his shoulder.

Tony chuckled, but it came out as a croak. His throat was so dry, it felt like he hadn't had water in days. She glanced at him, as if to make sure he wasn't choking, then started to laugh uncontrollably. Letting her laugh at him, Tony turned his head to look at the clock. "Holy Shit!!"

She stopped laughing immediately, staring at him curiously. "What is wrong?"

"We're going to be late for work."

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Fifteen minutes later, Ziva and Tony scurried out of the elevator and rushed to their desks. They both lunged for their chairs, trying to sit down, but instead sending their chairs flying with them sitting on them.

Once they both got their chairs under control, they both turned to glare at McGee, who was giving them both curious looks. "Why are you guys late?"

"We're not late, McGee," Tony shot back.

"Why are you late, Dinozzo?" Gibbs repeated as he walked into the bullpen with a coffee cup in his hand and the sides of his jacket billowing out behind him. He strode over to his desk and bent down to mess with something on his computer, only looking up when Tony didn't answer.

Ziva felt Tony's gaze on her face and she turned to look at him. His brows were raised, a question in his eyes. She nodded slightly, knowing what he was asking.

Tony turned to look his boss in the eye and stated, "Ziva's apartment was trashed and she doesn't know anybody who would want to do that to her. Also, a few minutes after she happened upon this, her father called and told her that she hadn't killed her brother, Ari."

Gibbs' head shot up and turned to capture Ziva's gaze. Silence settled as he searched her eyes, his face and eyes expressionless as always. A question formed in his eyes and she nodded. He sighed in frustration. "McGee, Dinozzo. I want you to go back to Ziva's apartment and search for evidence. Ziva, I want you to go down to Abby's lab and feed. You look like hell."

All three of them nodded and after Tony and Ziva gazed at each other(it seemed like forever to McGee), they all went to their stations.

Instead of taking the elevator, Ziva took the stairs, needing some time to think. She started down them, content on the silence once the door closed behind her. She tried to remember the last time she had feed. The memory came to her easily: the day Tony had arrived.

She had before she went to work that day. It was only two days but it felt like a lifetime ago. She stepped off the last step and opened the door, walking out and down the hall towards the lab. She walked into Abby's lab, immediately taking in the ear-splitting music Abby loved to play when she worked. She looked over at the forensic scientist that stood in front of her computer, looking at the screen while she hit away at the keyboard, a CafPow at her elbow for easy reach.

Her friend and sister wore a white lab coat, like she always was, but Ziva already knew what she had underneath that: a short, red and black skirt with a black t-shirt that hid her tattoos. The black combat boots with red flashes down the sides made her a couple inches taller, but not tall enough to tower over of them.

Ziva smiled as her gaze went to Abby's hair, which was in her signature pigtails, the way she always styled her hair. Like Gibbs, Ziva did have the element of surprise but today was just one of those days that she didn't have it for some reason; so when she started towards Abby, her friend immediately heard her. She swiveled around, her arms wide open. "ZIVA!!" she screamed before she charged, pulling her into spine-breaking hug.

Ziva laughed at this, since she knew that this would happen. She squeezed her back, saying, "Hey Abby! What is up?"

She untangled herself from Abby and walked over to fridge that sat next to Abby's more personal work place.

"Actually… nothing much. I'm so bored that I started looking at old cases. Why are you down her, besides to feed?"

Ziva scowled, reaching into the freezing fridge, pulling out a bag of blood. She turned to look at the goth and stated, "Gibbs sent me down here after Tony told him that someone had trashed my apartment and a few minutes after I had happened upon the disaster, my father called and told me that my brother is still alive." Ziva sucked in a deep breath and slapped the bag of blood onto her extracted canines.

Abby waited, surprisingly, till the bag was drained. She opened her mouth to say something but Ziva had slapped on another bag. Abby huffed, impatient, and put her hands on her hips, scowling at her friend.

After downing two bags, Ziva threw them in the trash and turned to hear Abby's question. But she wasn't looking to her, her attentive gaze on the computer screen in front of her. "Abby!"

She jumped and whirled to face her. "Sorry! Um, but didn't you tell me you killed him?"

Ziva sighed and walked towards Abby and sat on her computer chair, letting her head drop into her hands. "Yes, I did. I thought I had killed him at the time, but I guess I was wrong."

"Ah, does someone need a hug?" Ziva looked up and saw Abby standing in front of her, her arms open in invitation. She chuckled and nodded. Abby smiled her dazzling smile and squeezed her.

"So," she started after letting Ziva go, "tell me about Tony!"

Tony walked out of the elevator at Ziva's apartment, calling to McGee behind him, "Come on, Probee! We've got a room to investigate!"

McGee blanched, almost dropping their equipment. "Wait, you're the new recruit. Why are you calling me 'Probee'?"

Tony stopped in front of Ziva's apartment and turned, giving McGee a goofy smile. "Because it suits you."

He turned back to the door, reaching for his key, before realizing it was left ajar a tiny bit. He motioned to McGee, his hand reaching for his gun.

He eased the door open, and walked into the room with his gun in front of him, searching for a threat. He heard someone step behind after he walked into the apartment and he knew it wasn't McGee. Stabbing pain detonated in the back of his head and then all he saw was darkness.

"…and then we just rushed here, trying not to be late," Ziva finished. She took a deep breath, feeling exhausted after telling Abby _everything_ that had happened since yesterday afternoon.

Her friend sat on the on the evidence table across from her, her arms wrapped around her hippo stuffed animal, holding him in a head lock. Ziva started laughing, almost falling off her chair when she saw Abby's mouth wide open, sock and awe written on her face.

Abby's face was still like that (while Ziva continued to laugh her ass off at her) by the time Gibbs walked in, coffee in hand. He had an angry expression but it softened when he saw his agent laughing uncontrollably. But his voice stayed the same. "Abby!!" he shouted.

She jumped, dropping her hippo and she looked startled. "Yeah, Gibbs?"

"You got anything?"

Ziva was watching Gibbs, but out of the corner of her eye, she saw the scientist frown. "On what?" Abby asked, confused.

"On Dinozzo."

Ziva interrupted before Abby could respond. "But… I thought Tony went with McGee to my apartment?"

Gibbs looked at her, sadness showing in his fathomless, azure eyes. "He did. McGee just got back after being at your apartment. He was knocked unconscious. And the person who did that to him took Tony. But don't worry, Ziva, we'll fin-"

He didn't get to finish because Ziva had already run out of the room.

McGee was at his desk, holding an ice pack to the back of his head. It felt as if there was a bomb ticking inside his brain and it hurt with each tick. He winced as he pushed too hard on the tender bump.

He blanched as he watched Ziva dash into the bullpen. She stopped and looked around, breathing really hard for a vampire who didn't need air, before she turned and looked at him. She slammed her hands on his desk and gave him a death glare that made him shiver in fear.

He wasn't surprised that she was angry. He was more surprised to see the angry tears in her eyes. He jumped, wincing as he hit another tender spot, when she spoke, heated fury audible in her voice, "Where did you last see him?"

McGee glanced behind her as Gibbs and Abby rushed into the bullpen, looking flustered, then looked at Ziva. "At your apartment," he whispered back.

Her eyes softened and she gave him a small smile. She took her hands away and turned toward her desk, not even glancing at Gibbs and Abby. She strode over and to it and grabbed her backpack. She reached down to the last drawer in her desk and slammed it open. For some reason, Ziva grimaced when her eyes fell on the gun. She started to close the drawer. It was a third of the way closed before she changed her mind, reaching inside the drawer.

She wrapped her fingers around the head of the gun, taking care not to touch the trigger. She pulled it out and hung it on her waistband. She slammed the drawer shut with her knee and walked out of the bullpen, not giving any sign that she noticed Gibbs, Abby, and McGee staring.

Ziva walked into the elevator and pushed the button for the garage, forcing herself not to look at the team. As soon as the doors closed, she collapsed against them, letting her head against them. She willed herself not to cry, squeezing her eyes shut so that the angry tears wouldn't get lost in the cold grayness that was the floor.

The ding of the elevator announced her arrival at the garage. She pulled her head back before she fell on her face when the doors opened. She walked out and turned toward her red Mini Cooper. She unlocked it and slid into the drivers seat, slamming the door shut behind her. For awhile, she just sat there, wondering where Ari would have taken Tony. She didn't even have to think, she just knew. She out her keys in the ignition, letting them sit there as she thought.

She knew that it would be a mistake- no, her _second_ mistake- if she left and faced Ari without any backup. But she had to do this alone. No one could do it for her, no one could stop her, no on could help her. She knew that her first mistake was assuming that Ari had been sincerely dead when she shot him. This would be her second mistake but it was fair. A life for a life.

She turned the keys, making the engine roar to life. Ziva took the car out of park and put it in reverse, backing up out of the parking space. She switched the car into drive and sped out of the garage, leaving NCIS in the distance. She smiled to herself as she tried to remember the way to Gibbs' house.


End file.
